AFC Emley Reserves Team Match Reports.

AFC Emley v Lepton Highlanders. 06.03.12

Emley Reserves 2-6 Lepton Highlanders
WRCL Cup Quarter Final
Emley’s reserves were crushed by a rampant Lepton team who continue their unbeaten run since the start of the season. 

The visitors started strongly playing quick passing football and took the game to Emley from the first whistle.  Ashley Flynn, Daniel Facey and Kitson Gayle had all tested Emley keeper Nathan Ryan before they eventually took the lead on 9 minutes.

It was Facey who opened the scoring following a driving run, beating 3 defenders before dinking the ball over Ryan.  A minute later it was 2-0 as Flynn tapped home from close range.  Then Daniel Walker finished off a devastating 5 minute blitz to outjump the Emley defence before heading home a cross from Paul Pyke.

To their credit Emley fought their way back into the game and began to play some decent football of their own.  A fine through ball by Brett McDonagh found Curtis Roberts in the box but Ben Roebuck the Lepton keeper was out well to deny him.

Emley clawed a scrappy goal back on 24 minutes as Jonny Irving fired home inside a crowed penalty area.

Lepton almost instantly restored their margin after Emley conceded a free kick on the edge of the box – one of far too many conceded on the night.  Flynn hit a clean strike which crashed against the bar with Ryan stationary on his line breathing a sigh of relief. 

The goal of the game came on 30 minutes from the right foot of Tom Halton.  A testing cross from McDonagh was headed out as far as Halton who stepped into its path and directed a stunning first time drive into the top right hand corner giving Roebuck no chance. 

With the game in the balance as the second half kicked off Lepton stepped up into top gear once again bombarding Ryan’s goal.  Gayle, Facey and Pyke put together a good passing move but Ryan did well to block the latter’s drive from close range.  Ryan again had to be at his best to tip a curling effort from Flynn over the bar then block at his near post from the same player soon after.

He was only able to keep the visitors at bay until the 57th minute however as Cooke notched his second of the game looping a header over Ryan after going unmarked by the Emley defence.

Ben Dunne and Danny Lyness both had headed efforts from corners cleared off the line by Lepton defenders whilst Roberts tried his luck with a 35 yard drive but Roebuck was well placed to keep it out.

Any hopes of a fightback were well and truly extinguished in the 65 minutes as Walker beat the Emley offside trap and raced onto a lofted ball over the top and slotted past Nathan Ryan inside the box. 
Facey might have notched with a spectacular volley after a flick on from Gayle but Ryan was well placed to block it.  The keeper also reacted well to stop a deflected free kick by Flynn. 

Lyness went close for Emley with dipping effort from 25 yards out which fell just the wrong side of the crossbar and Roberts shot into the side netting after latching onto a Halton through ball.

Lepton wrapped up the scoring through Flynn in the 82nd minute.  Substitute Phabian Sylvester started the move, holding the ball up well then delivering a well weighted ball down the left flank which was chased down by Facey who crossed to Flynn to curl home past Ryan. 

Emley:
Ryan, Buck, Halton, O’Brian (Robinson 22), Dunne (c), McDonagh (Ingham 57), Reid, Irving, Lyness, Roberts, Ripley (A Powell 73).
Cautions:  Dunn, Irving.  Emley man of the Match:  Jonny Irving.

 

 

 

AFC Emley Reserves 2 - Rawdon Old Boys 0. West Riding County Amateur Football Division 2 Cup. Tuesday 18th of May 2010.

AFC Emley reserves finished the season in style with a 2 - 0 win over Rawdon, excellent strikes from Matt Neesam and Rob Day in either half secured the silverware for the Pewitts at Littletown FC.

Manager Darren Hepworth was forced into making changes ahead of the game, with the packed run in resulting in injuries to key players. What would have impressed him although was the fine state of the Littletown FC pitch at Heckmondwyke.

Emley dominated the early stages of the games, working the game down either flank with Matt Neesam seeing plenty of the play in the last third. It was Neesam who was to give Emley the lead on 9 minutes. A deep ball from midfield was flicked on by him into the box. The ball was only partially cleared to the edge of the box, and on the half volley Neesam cracked a powerful shot into the bottom left corner of the goal.

Emley were unlucky not to further extend their lead on 12 minutes, a strong run from Alex Thomas was ended when brought to the ground 25 yards out from goal. From the resulting free kick Rob Days direct kick went narrowly wide of the left hand post. An Ashley Brothers glancing header from a Nick Reid cross also crossed the whitewash the wrong side of the post.

In contrast Rawdon were restricted to one long range effort in the first 20 minutes that keeper Chris Allen easily collected. Just before the break the impressive Neesam brought a fine save from the opponents  keeper Platt, who tipped the ball over the bar from a close range shot.

Only minutes into the second half Neesam brought an almost copy cat save from Platt following an Emley corner. Rob Day demonstrated the clinical finishing present throughout the season for the reserves to extend the lead further. A long ball out of defence looked to have been easily covered by the Rawdon central defender, allowing the ball to bounce Day nipped in behind him.  With the keeper advancing Day hit the high bouncing ball on the half volley into the top right corner of the net.

As the match wore on, Emley introduced both Curtis Roberts and Jake Sanderson, the former looking tricky and demonstrating some excellent ball control. It was his dangerous right wing cross that found Alex Thomas at the back post. Unable to get enough purchase on the ball, his header drifted wide of the goal.

Into the last 10 minutes Emley controlled the ball well, Day brought another fine save from Platt, whilst Sanderson also forced another low save from the keeper at the near post.

Despite the numerous changes to the team, Emley controlled the game very well and fully deserved the win. The management team and players should be proud of their achievements this season

Emley: Allen, Firth, Dennis, Garside, Laverty, Dunne (c), Ried, Thomas, Day, Neesam, Brothers, Subs Roberts, Sanderson.